Troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata barrack were called to a crash at 5:25 a.m. May 11 at the intersection of U.S. 301 and VFW Road involving a van and a tractor-trailer.

Police said a 1996 maroon Ford passenger van, operated by William Claude Mitchell Sr., 59, of Waldorf failed to stop at a red light on westbound VFW Road at U.S. 301 and continued through the red light, making the turn onto southbound U.S. 301. The van was then struck by a 2000 Green Kenworth tractor-trailer traveling south on U.S. 301.

The tractor-trailer was operated by Michael Lee Dobson, 37, of Wallace, N.C.

Mitchell was taken to Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton where he was pronounced dead, police reported. Dobson was not injured. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or who might have more information about the crash is asked to call the MSP barrack in La Plata at 301-392-1200.